Need to have a think about the vaccination rate relative to the most vulnerable....without doing the sums, seems to me there is a massively front-loaded positive impact of the vacc programme. Very high % of the hospitalised come from high risk categories that will be vaccinated first....so we can expect the numbers in hospital, ICU and dying to dramatically decline as the vaccinations take effect on those most at risk.
except that it seems they have now changed tack and are going for more people to get one vacination rather than the most vulnerable getting two. AZ said their results were based upon TWO injections so going against the science. I dont think the government should be playing with peoples lives here.
except that it seems they have now changed tack and are going for more people to get one vacination rather than the most vulnerable getting two. AZ said their results were based upon TWO injections so going against the science. I dont think the government should be playing with peoples lives here.
1. It wasn't the government, it was JCVI.
2. The decision from JCVI seems to be based on data that indicates that c90% protection is achieved from the first jab, with the second jab boosting that to 95%, as well as potentially extending the longevity of that protection.
I've not read too much about this, but it does seem to be pragmatic to get twice as many people to 90% protection in the same amount of time that half that number could get to 95%, particularly given the infection/hospitalisation and death surge being experienced.
Who'd want to make these decisions though, eh?
Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccinations have begun
Seems we're hoping to do 530,000 at the very least this week, but hoping/likely quite a bit more.
Then it should start to ramp up significantly in the coming weeks.
1. It wasn't the government, it was JCVI.
2. The decision from JCVI seems to be based on data that indicates that c90% protection is achieved from the first jab, with the second jab boosting that to 95%, as well as potentially extending the longevity of that protection.
I've not read too much about this, but it does seem to be pragmatic to get twice as many people to 90% protection in the same amount of time that half that number could get to 95%, particularly given the infection/hospitalisation and death surge being experienced.
Who'd want to make these decisions though, eh?
Assuming we have done close to a million jabs already and will get up to 2 million/week fairly quickly now.
1. Around 3-4 million jabs done + two weeks. This should happen around late January and should mean that the majority of over 80's + highly vulnerable people + a substantial % of front line health and care staff have some level of protection and we'll be getting the first discernable benefits in terms of hospitalization and serious illness.
2. Around 10-12 million jabs done + two weeks. Probably mid-late February. This is when over 70's + most health workers, care workers, teachers etc should be largely protected. At this stage we should see a very real difference in infection rates and serious illness and should be the point at which we can begin to (permanently) lift restrictions.
3. 25-30 million jabs done. By end March/early April. This is when we have effective levels of community protection and can start getting back to near 'normal' in terms of how we can live our lives.
Interested to know how others see it?
To me, the data and analysis that drives this decision and the fact that the tactic has changed is essentially very good news, given the situation we are now in. Time is of the essence and we need to get that vaccine into as many arms as possible as quickly as possible.
If a single jab gives anywhere close to that level of protection and (as seems to be the case) the limiting factor will soon be the number of doses available rather than the capacity to give the jabs, then it's far better that every single dose for the next two months goes into a fresh arm.
Personally, I wonder if they should not have at least kept with the second jab appointments that had already been made, to avoid the confusion and inevitable complaints, and switched to the longer time frame for all first jabs onwards, but that's not a major issue in the larger scheme of things.
Obviously there are very difficult times ahead in the next few months, but my thinking on numbers is that there are three key moments in time we now need to be looking for:
Assuming we have done close to a million jabs already and will get up to 2 million/week fairly quickly now.
1. Around 3-4 million jabs done + two weeks. This should happen around late January and should mean that the majority of over 80's + highly vulnerable people + a substantial % of front line health and care staff have some level of protection and we'll be getting the first discernable benefits in terms of hospitalization and serious illness.
2. Around 10-12 million jabs done + two weeks. Probably mid-late February. This is when over 70's + most health workers, care workers, teachers etc should be largely protected. At this stage we should see a very real difference in infection rates and serious illness and should be the point at which we can begin to (permanently) lift restrictions.
3. 25-30 million jabs done. By end March/early April. This is when we have effective levels of community protection and can start getting back to near 'normal' in terms of how we can live our lives.
Interested to know how others see it?
PRH jabbing underway and busy.
Im booked in at 1
...
3. 25-30 million jabs done. By end March/early April. This is when we have effective levels of community protection and can start getting back to near 'normal' in terms of how we can live our lives.
Interested to know how others see it?
"Around 3-4 million jabs done + two weeks."
What does this phrase mean exactly?
I hope your right, however:
1. The Government have a proven record of over promising and under delivering
2. I'm still not convinced that extending the time between the jabs is the correct way to go, as it may lead to further issues down the line
3. The South African variant may need a different vaccine
Just being my usual pessimistic self.